In the methanol synthesis process and a process to synthesize liquid hydrocarbons such as kerosene and gas oil (Fischer-Tropsch process), a hydrocarbon gas, such as a natural gas, is added with water vapor so as to be reformed, thereby producing a synthetic gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, as described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. Methods for adding water vapor to a gas in the above processes include a method for humidifying a natural gas using a saturator as well as a method for directly adding steam to a natural gas
There is also a case in which a saturator is disposed in a gas turbine, in which water vapor is added to a combustion gas, so as to humidify the combustion gas.
A saturator recovers heat from another heat source (gas) in a heat exchanger, uses the recovered heat to heat gas flowing through the internal of the saturator, and sprays water into the gas to vaporize the water, so as to add water vapor to the gas.